TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Defense ministers of Iran and Pakistan explored avenues for the expansion of cooperation between the two neighbors to strengthen regional peace and stability.

In a telephone conversation on Wednesday, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami and his Pakistani counterpart Pervez Khattak discussed the ways to boost relations between Tehran and Islamabad.

Highlighting the Iranian authorities' emphasis on the enhancement of ties with Pakistan, General Hatami expressed the hope that the political will of the two sides under Pakistan's new government would make up for the shortcomings in bilateral ties in the past.

The Iranian minister also hailed Pakistan as a major country in the Muslim world that continues to play a positive role in the regional developments, adding, "The existing crises in the region and the Islamic countries, particularly in Yemen, have no military solution, but should be resolved through dialogue and political approaches."

Pointing to the great potential that Iran and Pakistan share in the economic and defense areas, General Hatami said such mutual capacities could be well employed for closer bilateral ties and strengthening peace and stability in the region.

For his part, the Pakistani minister stressed the need for growing interaction between Tehran and Islamabad to contribute to peace and security in the region.

In August, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani sent a message to Pakistan's new Prime Minister Imran Khan, congratulating him on taking the helm in the neighboring country and voicing Tehran's readiness to enhance ties with Islamabad.